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sweet rolls

Cranberry Cinnamon Sweet Rolls

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Cranberry Cinnamon Sweet Rolls – soft, lightly cinnamony yeast rolls with swirls of homemade cranberry jam, topped with a cream cheese/butter frosting.

Cut Cranberry Rolls

Homemade sweet rolls are just the best! Years ago, after my first attempts at using yeast in breads and getting past the hockey puck and heavy bread phase, I finally got pretty good with yeast dough. 

This roll recipe is particularly easy because you don’t have to proof the yeast. You just need to make sure the water isn’t too cool or hot when you add the yeast to it.

If you don’t have a thermometer, the water should be very warm (but not hot) to the touch and that will be a perfect home for the yeast.

Cranberry Rolls with Cranberries

I’ve only lately started making jams and would have made them years ago if I’d known how easy it is!

Easy Steps to Make Small-Batch Fruit Jam:

  • Add 1 1/2 cup of sugar and 1 1/4 cup of water to a medium pan.
  • Bring to a low boil and stir until sugar is mostly dissolved.
  • Add 2 1/2 cups of fresh or frozen fruit (cranberries, cherries, blueberries, etc.)
  • Boil on low, uncovered for about 15 minutes, stirring frequently until thickened
  • Pour into a container and let cool a few minutes before storing in refrigerator.

Fluffy Cranberry Rolls

A tricky part of making yeast doughs is to know when the dough has been kneaded enough and not too much. The standard kneading time by hand is 6-8 minutes.

I prefer kneading dough in the stand mixer because it’s easier and way less messy. Just decrease the kneading time to 4-6 minutes. To check if it’s done, pull a little piece off and stretch it a little. It should ‘window pane’ or stretch until thin and see-through without breaking.

Another tip – if you’re rolling the dough and it keeps snapping back, let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes, then try again. It should be ready to roll out.

Cranberry Cinnamon Sweet Rolls

These Cranberry Cinnamon Sweet Rolls aren’t just easy to make – they’re very tasty, too!

I love the tartness of the cranberry jam, but you can make it with any seasonal (or frozen) fruit you’d like.

Side view of Cut Cranberry Rolls

Cranberry Cinnamon Sweet Rolls

Yield: 15 rolls
Prep Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes

Cinnamony sweet rolls with a swirl of homemade tart/sweet cranberry jam. Topped with a buttery cream cheese frosting. Delicious!

Ingredients

  • For the Jam:
  • 1 C sugar
  • 3/4 C water
  • 2 1/2 C fresh or frozen cranberries
  • 1 tsp grated orange peel
  • For the Dough:
  • 2 pkgs (1/4 oz ea.) active dry yeast
  • 1/2 C warm water (around 110° - very warm to touch)
  • 1/2 C plus 2 tablespoons butter, softened and divided
  • 1/2 C milk, room temperature
  • 2 eggs, room temperature
  • 1/2 C sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 4 1/2 to 5 C all-purpose flour
  • For the Frosting:
  • 1 C powdered sugar
  • 1 1/2 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 5 tbsp butter, softened
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • pinch of salt
  • 2 tsp milk (or more for thinning frosting if needed)

Instructions

  1. In a medium saucepan, bring sugar and water to a boil. Add the cranberries and return to a low boil on medium. Low boil for about 15 minutes, stirring frequently, until jam thickens.
  2. Remove from the heat and stir in the orange peel. Let cool for 10 minutes, then refrigerate to cool completely, while you're making and proofing the dough.
  3. Place dough hook on mixer. Add the warm water, then yeast to a stand mixer bowl and stir to combine. Add 1/2 cup of the butter, milk, eggs, sugar, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg to the yeast mixture. Add 3 cups of the flour all at once to the bowl and mix on low until blended. Add 1/2 cup at a time of the remaining flour, until it forms a soft dough. Dough will be slightly sticky, but should pull slightly away from the walls of the bowl. (I used about 4 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons).
  4. Lightly flour your counter or marble and your rolling pin. Turn out the dough onto the floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. (Alternative: leave in your mixing bowl and mix on low for 4-5 minutes until smooth and elastic.)
  5. Make a ball out of the dough and place in a greased bowl, turning to grease the dough ball. Cover the bowl and place in a draft-free place for 1 hr to 1 hr 20 minutes until about doubled.
  6. Lightly flour your counter or marble again. Punch down the dough, then turn out onto your floured surface. Roll into a 20" x 10" rectangle. Melt the remaining 2 tbsp of butter and brush it liberally over the dough to the edges.
  7. Spread the dough evenly with the cranberry jam, out to about 1" from the edges. Roll up jelly roll style, starting with the long edge (doesn't have to be rolled tightly). Pinch the seams to seal.
  8. Cut the roll into 15 slices and place, cut side down, into a greased 13"x9" baking pan. Cover and let rise for about 30 minutes in a draft-free, warm area, until about doubled. Preheat your oven to 375° while buns are rising.
  9. Bake the rolls for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown on top. Cool for 5-10 minutes in the pan. Turn out the rolls onto a wire rack and while they're still warm, put the frosting together.
  10. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the powdered sugar, cream cheese, butter, vanilla, salt and milk until smooth. Add additional milk 1 teaspoon at a time if needed to thin it out. It will be fairly thick.
  11. Store leftover rolls in the refrigerator in a sealed container.

Notes

Tips and Stuff:

Be sure and have all of your ingredients ready and the cold ingredients softened and/or room temperature before beginning.

You can knead your dough by hand or with the stand mixer.  If you're using the mixer, decrease the kneading time as indicated.

Use any fruit you would like - blueberries would be good; cherries would be great!

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 15 rolls Serving Size: 1 roll
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 868Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 43mgSodium: 235mgCarbohydrates: 173gFiber: 6gSugar: 29gProtein: 21g

Nutrition Values are Approximate

© TOH Germaine Stank
Category: Breads/Muffins

Filipino Spanish Bread

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Today we’re going to the Philippines to experience a favorite bakery snack – Filipino Spanish Bread.

Did you know the Philippines consists of over 7,500 islands and has a population of around 100 million? Interesting history, too (Spanish rule, then U.S. control until World War II, then the Japanese, and finally independence in 1946).

Filipino Spanish Bread

The Spanish influence is still felt in this Filipino Spanish Bread. They’re soft yeast rolls with a buttery sweet filling. What really caught my attention is the use of breadcrumbs.

Breadcrumbs are combined with sugar and butter to create the filling. Then after they’re rolled up little-croissant style, they’re rolled in breadcrumbs to create a lightly crunchy coating. Very unusual!

Filipino Spanish Bread

The dough for these homemade rolls is beautiful and soft to the touch. You want the dough a little sticky to make nice, moist bread, but it also comes together into a final silky, pliable dough.

Give yourself enough time to make these rolls. Get the ingredients together before you start and it will make the process go more smoothly. It’s no fun running around the kitchen looking for stuff while your dough is impatiently waiting.

It takes a few minutes to put together the dough, then you knead it for a few more. The dough needs to rise for an hour after that. After the first rise, you create the rolls and fill them and this process takes a while. Let them rise for another 30 minutes, then bake.

Filipino Spanish Bread

Filipino Spanish Bread smells heavenly while it’s baking! You could add cinnamon to it for a different bread experience, but these rolls are terrific as is.

The addition of bread crumbs to the filling and on the outside of the rolls really make them unique. I thought the bread crumbs would be a strange texture, but when you bite into them they’re very slightly crunchy, then you get the soft, bready insides with a whisper more of buttery sweet crunch.

Filipino Spanish Bread

I had to eat one right out of the oven with a little pat of butter. Quality control for you, of course. They’re delicious. A little time consuming, but definitely worth the time and effort.

Just a note: These are best the first day. I find that overnight in a sealed container, the bread crumbs soften and lose that nice crunch. After they’re a day or two old, slice them horizontally and dab on a little butter. Pop them under the broiler for a minute and enjoy!

Thank you, Philippines.

*Adapted from a recipe by Bebs at foxyfolksy.com. Check out her website – it’s a lot of fun!

Precooked crescents on a sheet pan

Filipino Spanish Bread

Yield: 15 rolls
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Rising Time:: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 55 minutes

Soft yeast rolls with a buttery sugar filling, rolled in fine bread crumbs and sugar.

Ingredients

  • Dough:
  • 3 C all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 C plus 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 3/4 C milk, lukewarm
  • 3 tbsp butter, melted
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 1 1/2 tsp instant yeast (not quite a whole packet)
  • Filling:
  • 1/4 C butter
  • 2 tsp all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 C fine bread crumbs
  • 1/8 C plus 1 tbsp water
  • 1/2 C sugar
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp butter, melted
  • Crumb Roll:
  • 2 tbsp butter, melted
  • 1/2 C fine bread crumbs
  • 2 tbsp sugar

Instructions

  1. In a stand mixer bowl with a dough hook, mix together the flour, sugar, and salt. Add the lukewarm milk (about 110°) and melted butter and turn mixer to low. Add the beaten egg. Mix until blended. Sprinkle in the instant yeast and mix well to form a slightly sticky dough. (Add a tablespoon more of flour if too sticky).
  2. Lightly flour your counter or marble and turn out the sticky dough onto it. Knead the dough until it becomes smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. (Or keep the dough in the stand mixer bowl, turn it to low, and knead the dough with the dough hook for 5-6 minutes.)
  3. Shape the dough into a ball and place it into a greased bowl. Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap and place in a draft-free place to rise. Allow to rise for approximately 1 hour, until doubled in size.
  4. While the dough is rising, prepare the filling. In a saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the 1/4 C butter until bubbly. Sprinkle in the flour and 1/4 cup of the bread crumbs and stir until mixed well. Once it starts to simmer, add the water, sugar, and salt and the remaining 1/4 cup of bread crumbs. Stir briskly with heat on low until it's fairly thick. Remove from heat and stir for a minute until it's a paste-like texture.
  5. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  6. After the dough is risen, melt the 2 tablespoons of butter in a small bowl. Punch down the risen dough and divide the dough into 16 equal pieces (about 1.75 oz. each). Roll or press each piece of dough into a long triangle with the wide end toward you (roll fairly thin and about 6 1/2" to 7" long, kind of the shape of a pizza slice).
  7. Brush each triangle lightly with melted butter, then sprinkle or spread filling on the triangle, leaving about 1 cm. around the edges so it won't melt out while baking. Roll the dough fairly loosely, starting from the wide end.
  8. For the Breading: melt the remaining 2 tbsp butter. Combine the bread crumbs and sugar in a bowl. Brush each roll with butter, then lightly dip and roll from side to side in the bread crumb mixture.
  9. Place each roll seam side down onto the baking sheet about an inch apart. Cover with a tea towel and place in a draft-free area for 30-45 minutes, until doubled in size.
  10. Preheat the oven to 325°. Bake the rolls for 25-30 minutes until lightly browned. Store in a sealed container (but best right out of the oven, warm).
  11. To serve leftover rolls, slice them horizontally and pat a little butter on them. Warm in the microwave for 15-20 seconds or placed under the broiler for 1 minute.

Notes

Tips and Stuff:

Use Instant yeast, not Active Dry.  You don't have to proof Instant yeast.  

The dough will be sticky when turned out from the bowl.  This will make a lighter, fluffier roll.

I only got 15 pieces of dough, mainly because I weighed each one out to about 1.8 oz.  Whatever size you make them, roll them out fairly thinly and be generous with the filling.

**Make sure your bread crumbs are PLAIN - not garlic or cheese flavored!!**

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 15 Serving Size: 1 roll
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 243Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 36mgSodium: 305mgCarbohydrates: 35gFiber: 1gSugar: 10gProtein: 5g

Nutrition Values are Approximate

© Adapted from FoxyFolksy.com
Category: Breads/Muffins